Tiguan

What do you think of the VW Tiguan. My wife's Forester is close to ten years old. We are looking at the new CRV, the RDX, the CX5, and the Tiguan. We test drove the GLK350 and my wife disliked it.

Originally Posted by ed325i

What do you think of the VW Tiguan. My wife's Forester is close to ten years old. We are looking at the new CRV, the RDX, the CX5, and the Tiguan. We test drove the GLK350 and my wife disliked it.

Tiguan is too expensive for what you get - if you want AWD and leather you're looking at low to mid $30k. Gas mileage is also mediocre. If you don't mind those two things it's a really nice car, I like it better than the others you mentioned. New model based on the new modular platform should be out in a year or two, probably with the new 170 hp diesel.

We recently got a Subaru Outback - the new model is much bigger and more SUV like than the old one, and it has a really nice interior. We got ours for like $27k with leather, everything but moonroof and nav.

we were all set on the CRV til we drove it - so loud on the highway, otherwise it was fine. This was the old model - the new one is too ugly for words.

It's not a review, but I was a passenger on the Tiguan a month ago and compared it to the Ford Focus in that thread.

The backseat is cramped, the trunk is small, it's ugly outside, and it's cheap inside. I can't think of a single reason to buy one... oh wait, I can think of two - VW diehard fans, or fans of German brand vehicles who can't afford an X3?

The up-coming RDX looks pretty good (Since you consider GLK)

Originally Posted by Griffoun

...The up-coming RDX looks pretty good (Since you consider GLK)

The RDX is more money up here then a loaded Tiguan. My wife like the driving feel of the Tiguan better than the CRV. The CRV does have nicer toys, and better mileage though.

Looked at the Outback. Wife wants to have a higher feeling seating position. I actually like the boxer 6. The interior is nice. Oh. She is insistent on Zenons / HID headlights.

In no hurry to buy. Will definitely take a RDX for a test drive. Perhaps we can get a deal for a 2011 or whenever they called the last generation model.

I had an RDX for about a year and did not like it and traded it in on an R32. It's an odd size where it feels big on the inside and kinda cramped on the outside. The back seat is not very spacious. The 2.3 4cyl turbo seemed strained to move the heft and was always in boost, so I got about 18 MPG consistently. The SH-AWD is kind of gimmiky and really only works while under power in a corner. The best part was the telematics/NAV/bluetooth. The new grille looks really weird to me (for what that is worth).

I had a loaner Tiguan SE (FWD) for about a week and it was much more fun (and quicker) than I remember the RDX was. I'd take a Tiguan SE (or especially the SEL) over the RDX any day.

Originally Posted by Frank Rizzo

I had an RDX for about a year and did not like it and traded it in on an R32. It's an odd size where it feels big on the inside and kinda cramped on the outside. The back seat is not very spacious. The 2.3 4cyl turbo seemed strained to move the heft and was always in boost, so I got about 18 MPG consistently. The SH-AWD is kind of gimmiky and really only works while under power in a corner. The best part was the telematics/NAV/bluetooth. The new grille looks really weird to me (for what that is worth).

I had a loaner Tiguan SE (FWD) for about a week and it was much more fun (and quicker) than I remember the RDX was. I'd take a Tiguan SE (or especially the SEL) over the RDX any day.

Hence only V6 in the up-coming model

Will need to try the new V6 RDX.

Also test drove the Forester XT. Drives well, but has the same hard Forester seats wrapped in leather. The seat is a problem area. My back hurts after an hour's drive in the Forester.

Why not a 328 touring?
I was behind one today and it made me think.

Originally Posted by Griffoun

Hence only V6 in the up-coming model

Won't help the cramped backseat, ponderous handling, and the overall ugliness though.

The new CX5 is a great alternative and fully loaded under 30K. It comes with AWD, xenons, nice sound system, nicely shaped heated perforated leather seats, Tom Tom nav, rear camera and blind spot monitoring. The backseat has surprisingly lots of room, way more than Tiguan. The transmission is super smooth and quick shifting, I'd say on par if not better than 6 speed in E90. The only downside is the power, it's just adequate from Skyactiv 4 cyl but you get good mileage in return.

I spent the whole day in the car on Monday and traveled for 500 miles and I'm impressed even though I was only a passenger. Seats were comfy and supportive, car was quiet and bluetooth audio streaming Pandora kept us entertained.

Originally Posted by Frank Rizzo

Won't help the cramped backseat, ponderous handling, and the overall ugliness though.

2013 RDX is totally redesigned; but again that's just someone else's opinion from Autoblog, not mine. With all the reviews out there, I wouldn't get the 2012 RDX even when it's a good deal.

How about a Grand Cherokee? I think they're gorgeous, pricey though.

You can swap out headlights for HIDs in any car, I thought? Or maybe there are only kits for certain cars.

we love our Outback, and it's not even the flat six. That's a sweet engine but doesn't fit the rolling boaty character of the Outback, so we just got the four. Wish we got more than 1 inch of snow so I could have tried out the AWD. Damned global warming.

Originally Posted by F1Crazy

The new CX5 is a great alternative and fully loaded under 30K. It comes with AWD, xenons, nice sound system, nicely shaped heated perforated leather seats, Tom Tom nav, rear camera and blind spot monitoring. The backseat has surprisingly lots of room, way more than Tiguan. The transmission is super smooth and quick shifting, I'd say on par if not better than 6 speed in E90. The only downside is the power, it's just adequate from Skyactiv 4 cyl but you get good mileage in return.

I spent the whole day in the car on Monday and traveled for 500 miles and I'm impressed even though I was only a passenger. Seats were comfy and supportive, car was quiet and bluetooth audio streaming Pandora kept us entertained.

Forgot about the new CX5, it looks really nice.

Originally Posted by F1Crazy

The new CX5 is a great alternative and fully loaded under 30K. It comes with AWD, xenons, nice sound system, nicely shaped heated perforated leather seats, Tom Tom nav, rear camera and blind spot monitoring. The backseat has surprisingly lots of room, way more than Tiguan. The transmission is super smooth and quick shifting, I'd say on par if not better than 6 speed in E90. The only downside is the power, it's just adequate from Skyactiv 4 cyl but you get good mileage in return.

I spent the whole day in the car on Monday and traveled for 500 miles and I'm impressed even though I was only a passenger. Seats were comfy and supportive, car was quiet and bluetooth audio streaming Pandora kept us entertained.

Holy crap, 150 horses pushing a 3400lb (AWD) car?

The FWD is very fuel-efficient though, 26/35mpg.

Originally Posted by Griffoun

Holy crap, 150 horses pushing a 3400lb (AWD) car?

The FWD is very fuel-efficient though, 26/35mpg.

My friend averages 27 mpg in his AWD, the engine sounds good and revs happily but it's no I6. I think upcoming diesel will be a perfect choice with more torque and even better fuel economy.

If it drives like a Golf on stilts, I think it'd be a good choice. However, as with all German cars, the more options you load up, the prices can climb considerably.

My recommendation is just to get a Comfortline, perhaps add the Sport Paket and 6AT if your wife needs an automatic. I'm still not sold on the need for AWD in most vehicles, even in Ontario.

For unknown reasons, I can't see myself ever in a Mazda. Between my dad's MX-5 and the various Mazda3s I've been in, the interiors never please me in neither function nor form. But to each his/her own. Just go test drive one.

If you don't need a SUV, the Ford Focus hatch is also a solid choice if you can get over the lack of 6-speeds in the manual gearbox.

Mazda, unlike the VW, will be crazy reliable. The CX-5 may not be fast but it'll get the job done. If she's willing to wait the X1 is right around the corner...

Also Ford has a brand new 2013 Escape coming out... has all the trimmings, including 240 HP turbo 4, leather, touchless liftgate and xenons for about 31-32k for the FWD model and 32-33k for the AWD:

http://www.ford.com/suvs/escape/

Sounds like we should wait a bit. The X1 has been available up here for almost a year. $40k cdn starting price for the Turbo 4

Originally Posted by Griffoun

2013 RDX is totally redesigned; but again that's just someone else's opinion from Autoblog, not mine. With all the reviews out there, I wouldn't get the 2012 RDX even when it's a good deal.

I think it's just a facelift. Like I said, I owned one for a year And I still stand by that it is overall it's a poor value for a driving enthusiast, even a mild one - like all Acura vehicles.

Originally Posted by Frank Rizzo

I think it's just a facelift. Like I said, I owned one for a year And I still stand by that it is overall it's a poor value for a driving enthusiast, even a mild one - like all Acura vehicles.

2013 RDX is a big redo. New engine, new suspension, new transmission, new exterior/interior - heck even the SH-AWD is gone.

http://www.insideline.com/acura/rdx/...full-test.html

http://www.honda.com/newsandviews/ar...spx?id=6557-en

Went to the BMW dealership today. My wife looked at the X1. Sat in it. Didn't like it enough for a test drive. "Too low." "Bad sight lines."

I liked the X3 M Sport that was there. Maybe in a few years.

In the meanwhile, we looked at the EX35. Didn't have time to drive it.

Originally Posted by ed325i

Went to the BMW dealership today. My wife looked at the X1. Sat in it. Didn't like it enough for a test drive. "Too low." "Bad sight lines."

I liked the X3 M Sport that was there. Maybe in a few years.

In the meanwhile, we looked at the EX35. Didn't have time to drive it.

Friends like their EX35. Gobbles gas but it's supposedly a pretty sporty drive.

Originally Posted by Frank Rizzo

I think it's just a facelift. Like I said, I owned one for a year And I still stand by that it is overall it's a poor value for a driving enthusiast, even a mild one - like all Acura vehicles.

That's sad, cause Honda/Acura used to make great driver's cars, like the Legends, 90s Accords, and of course the 1st 3 gen Integras.

q5

powered by lemings

Originally Posted by blueguydotcom

Friends like their EX35. Gobbles gas but it's supposedly a pretty sporty drive.

My wife had an ex35 and it's very comparable to a non sport BMW 335i. Fast and precise handling but nit harsh. Interior is a little cramped though.